Thursday, December 26, 2013

Is this the color wheel? The perfectly balanced colors of the wheel sections are accented by the pink and red of the hearts at the top. The artist has used every tone available for the frame of pegs around the circle. Each pointer triangle is a different hue and is outlined with another color. The pegs space out at the end of the rotation indicating the slowing down of the pointer until it stops and the buzzer bells go off. These bells are indicated by the circles with the spiral overlays. The layers of colors - pink over yellow and green over yellow - is a skilled technique which glows in the original fluorescent inks painted by the artist. Altogether this is a sophisticated design that demonstrates motion in the turning of the wheel and the pointer around pegs. The artist (A.B.) displays both motion and emotion with the spinning of the triangular pointer, and the Valentine heart hues of pink and red at the top which are the prize won by the player of the wheel. Even sound is portrayed when the pointer reaches the buzzer bells at the end of the rotation of the triangles. The fascination with the workings of the Wheel of Fortune shows an aptitude for engineering and design - Good Work A.B.!

Friday, December 6, 2013

Litang Horse Festival.
Khampa Tibetan Costume at Litang
The striking and beautiful costumes of the Khampas are the main store of families' wealth, and have been handed down from generation to generation. Rich nomadic Khampas favor precious metal and jewels as a store of wealth because they are easily transported.
These costumes will be worth on average several hundreds of thouands of US dollars, and at least $10,000, and it is not uncommon for costumes to be worth many millions of dollars, depending on the quality and antiquity of the gemstones and ornaments. Ornaments are made from gold, silver, coral, amber, turquoise and jade. The costumes can weigh up to 20 kg (44lb) , much of that weight coming from the gold and silver amulet boxes worn in front and behind and on the head.
These costumes are worn on annual festival days such as at the Litang Horse Festival where these photos were taken.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Castillon List
1.) The discovery concerning the WWI Memorial to Rodrigo`s regiment whose remains were found in 1992.
2.) The Boscolo Hotel in Lyon, described by Rodrigo as a “bourgeois” - this hotel was not the Grand Boscolo of later years.
3.) Emma`s manager J.B. identified as Jules Bois, referred to as the “eminence grise” by Rodrigo.
4.) The discovery of Sauniere`s Masonic collar among his belongings, identified as the collar of the Grand Master of the Martinist chapter of Memphis-Mizraim Freemasonry. Don Rodrigo revealed that Sauniere and Emma Calve were Martinists when they met at San Sulpice in Paris in 1893. They recognized one another by their secret society hand gestures.
5.) The documents preserved by Patrice Chaplin and used in her initiation compare to Memphis-Mizraim Martinist doctrine, not Hebrew or Rosicrucian Cabala - this is due to the Egyptian references.
6.) Berenger Sauniere`s umbrella is seen in photographs and in an RLC mural, it is mentioned by don Rodrigo.
7.) The surveyors` equipment seen in Sauniere`s room by Rodrigo on his trip to Rennes-le-Chateau - there was a receipt for such equipment found among his belongings.
Patrice Chaplin states that her guide revealed Sauniere`s “task” to be the passing on of information in symbol to those to come – does this refer to the symbolic décor in his church?
8.) Emma Calve met Rodrigo through the daughter of the chocolate manufacturer at one of her soirees.
9.) Rodrigo descended from one of the members of Elus-Cohen who was with Pasqually in Haiti when they organized the Martinist doctrine.
10.) De Sede states that we will never know exactly how Sauniere and Emma met, but thanks to Don Rodrigo, we know that they met in her Paris church where she attended mass.
11.) Patrice Chaplin mentions meeting “Raoul” digging for treasure at RLC. He was the son of the workman who discovered the original parchment that led Sauniere to the discovery of the Merovingian genealogies and other pages. Patrice wonders whether Raoul`s father was rewarded for his find. Rodrigo met his brother at RLC in 1900, the men complained bitterly that he had not been given anything for his discovery.
12). The clue from Irmine concerning the end of the diary where the pages were ripped out. He said that "R" must refer to Rilke. This led to the connection between Rilke and Louisa Salome or "Salomon", the name used by Rodrigo. Lou Salome was a counselor to don Rodrigo in his grief.